Sunday, August 14, 2011

Headlines - Sunday August 14

Marcus Bachmann (R), husband of Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), gets a kiss from a supporter in his wife's tent during the Iowa Straw Poll outside the Hilton Coliseum at Iowa State University August 13, 2011 in Ames, Iowa. Nine GOP presidential candidates are competing for votes in the Iowa Straw Poll, an important step for gaining momentum in a crowded field of hopefuls. By Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.)

AT&T wants us to believe that it needs to spend $39 billion to buy T-Mobile in order to build out its 4th generation (LTE) network. But the leaked letter shows that the cost of the buildout is $3.8 billion. Spending 10 times that amount to acquire T-Mobile is a roundabout, more expensive way to accomplish AT&T's stated goal.

I'm not the world's biggest fan of any US cell provider, but AT&T seems a hell of a lot more focused on corporate tricks (iPhone exclusivity and this merger) than they are on just putting up more cell towers.

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The annual salary of a Walmart Greeter in Texas is $14,000. That would pay the rent for onemonth on the 5-bedroom, 7-bath mansion Rick Perry and his wife occupy in north Austin. And, of course, the Walmart Greeter, as a Texas taxpayer, has to help pay Governor Perry's $10,000-a-month rent.